Any police officers here? Question about NIP

Guru · 15 Mar 2007 at 12:09

wonder_lander said:
Did you drive down this road on that day on your way home?

No, I live in High Wycombe.

As far as I am aware there is every chance that I've NEVER driven down this road in my life. I don't even think I have EVER driven to Oxford.

roboffer · 15 Mar 2007 at 13:00

Personally what Id do, is go to the copper shop and talk to someone in the know.

Guru · 15 Mar 2007 at 13:36

roboffer said:
Personally what Id do, is go to the copper shop and talk to someone in the know.

With a newborn baby to look after, going to the copper shop is easier said than done.

I have drafted this letter...

Sergeant *****,

I am writing to you because I received a notice of intended prosecution yesterday for:

(1) Failing to comply with solid white line markings in road
(contrary to section 36, Road Traffic Act 1988)

(2) Driving without due care and attention
(contrary to section 3, Road Traffic Act 1998 and Schedule 2 to the road traffic offenders act.

I am a little confused and very concerned about this. It states on the form a time/date and a place as follows:

AT 09:05pm on Tuesday 6th March 2007

AT A4130, Gangsdown Hill, Nuffield, Oxfordshire

What confuses me is this; although this vehicle is registered in my name, and I am the only driver of it. There is no possible way me or my vehicle could have been in a town in Oxfordshire on a road I have never heard of at this precise day or time. The time seems ambiguous because it says 09:05 but also says PM; when 09:05 would be AM and 21:05 would be PM, regardless of this ambiguity there is no possible way I could have been there that particular day.

Allow me to explain; on the morning of the 6th of March 2007 I was awoken at around 05:30am with a call from my girlfriend, ***** ******, saying that she had gone into labour. I Rushed down to the High Wycombe General Hospital as soon as she was moved to the Labour ward and at 08:08am our beautiful baby boy was born. I then stayed in the hospital with her and our newborn son until 12:00pm when I was asked to observe visiting hours and go home. I returned at the start of the next visiting hours at 14:30pm and stayed with ***** and our son until 21:00pm when again I was asked to observe the visiting hours and go home. ***** and our son were kept in over night under observation and I was allowed to return the next day (7th March) at 10:30am when visiting hours resumed.

Now as you can see, at 09:05am on the 6th I was in the hospital and at 21:05pm I had only just left. On putting the address on the notice into my Sat Nav it says it takes 32 minutes to get from the hospital to that location. So even if I had reason to be in Oxfordshire that night I would not have been able to get there within 5 minutes of leaving the hospital, it’s simply not possible.

What concerns me is this; I have spoken to a few people about this and their responses have worried me slightly. They say that for me to have received this notice of intended prosecution that whoever was pulled over for this offence in Oxfordshire may have had false plates on a similar car to mine and also given my name and address to the officer who questioned them!! Is this possible?

This is EXTREMELY concerning to think someone could be driving around recklessly pretending to be me! I don’t really know what to do now, there is no section on the notice of intended prosecution to say that I was not there and neither was my car. So I don’t really know how to complete the form which at present remains uncompleted in my possession.

Someone also told me that it is possible that someone with something against me may have phoned the police and told them that I was driving erratically in Oxford that night just to get me in trouble. Is this also possible?

I would appreciate being sent copies of what evidence you have as proof that this incident ever occurred as I’ve been told that there are such things as fake/joke notice of intended prosecution forms. Is it possible that this is some sort of prank? If it is then it is clearly not very funny!

I am extremely unhappy about this. I don’t want to be held responsible for something that I didn’t do. I drive for a living and I certainly can’t afford to have any endorsements on my license especially for an offence I simply didn’t commit.

Obviously I am able to provide proof that our baby was born on this day and I have many witnesses to the fact I was in the hospital throughout. I enclose a statement signed by hospital staff that were on duty that night on the ward where we were, stating that I was in the hospital until I was asked to leave at 21:00pm like everyone else.

I would greatly appreciate a quick response from yourselves to put my mind at rest, as you can imagine we are going through a stressful time at present looking after our first baby and this has added a lot of stress to our current situation.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Yours Sincerely,

And will send this with it:

To whom it may concern,

I hereby confirm that Mr. **** ******, the registered owner of vehicle R???*** was present here on Ward 9 in High Wycombe General Hospital on Tuesday the 6th of March until the end of visiting hours at 21:00 visiting his girlfriend Miss ***** **** ****** who gave birth to their son **** ***** ****** at 08:08am that morning. Both mother and baby were kept in overnight. Hospital visiting hours are to be observed at all times and as such Mr. ****** was asked to leave at 21:00 with the other visitors.

I certify that I work at High Wycombe General Hospital on Ward 9 and this statement consisting of one page is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Yours Sincerely.

Signed: Printed:

cymatty · 15 Mar 2007 at 13:42

Make sure you keep the originals of both bits. As sometimes evidence goes walkabouts.

Malt_Vinegar · 15 Mar 2007 at 14:03

Just to let you know, the NIP is what they officer is thinks you are guity of. It will be reveiwed. This is what happened when i was given a verbal NIP.

You will probably most likely just get prosecuted on one of the charges depending how serious they claim it to be in light of the evidence they have.

In your case, no evidence, as you were not at the scene when the incident happened! So your in luck!

Speak to the cop-shop. Although take whatever they tell you with a huge wedge of salt, no one i spoke to knew anything about the system when i went to them on my Driving without due care and attention charge. Everything they told me turned out to be complete crock.

The only usefull thing they did was point me to going to see the clerk at the court, who did know something, although again, not a lot it would seem according to how the magistrate dealt with the case!

SeriousPigeon · 15 Mar 2007 at 14:05

Probably best not to mention that you "rushed" to Wycombe General Hospital in your car either.

Guru · 15 Mar 2007 at 14:14

Malt_Vinegar said:
Just to let you know, the NIP is what they officer is thinks you are guity of. It will be reveiwed. This is what happened when i was given a verbal NIP.

You will probably most likely just get prosecuted on one of the charges depending how serious they claim it to be in light of the evidence they have.

In your case, no evidence, as you were not at the scene when the incident happened! So your in luck!

When you say the officer, does it defo mean an officer saw and possibly pulled over someone driving a car with my plates on? and not that some bugger has reported me for something just to stitch me up?

What if they have evidence in the form of a photo of "my" car. Same plates etc... the whole thing is a bit worrying. What if someone really has a car made out to look like mine and is ragging it round?

Crazy stuff really!

Perplexed said:
Probably best not to mention that you "rushed" to Wycombe General Hospital in your car either.

I've changed rushed to went.

Is the letter ok though do you think?

Cheers,

G

ShiWarrior · 15 Mar 2007 at 15:01

frakker said:
Was thinking exactly the same thing!

and also state where you went from ?

Malt_Vinegar · 15 Mar 2007 at 18:33

Guru said:
When you say the officer, does it defo mean an officer saw and possibly pulled over someone driving a car with my plates on? and not that some bugger has reported me for something just to stitch me up?

I presume in your case, the officer who took the report or saw you?

Guru · 15 Mar 2007 at 19:35

Malt_Vinegar said:
I presume in your case, the officer who took the report or saw you?

Well obviously no-one could have seen "me" but would the police really send out a NIP just on some random schmo's say so?

Entai · 15 Mar 2007 at 20:37

Guru said:
Well obviously no-one could have seen "me" but would the police really send out a NIP just on some random schmo's say so?

Yes apparently some constabularies do!!

My wife recieved an NIP for driving without due care in Glasgow, at the same date and time we were both in Mexico on holiday.

When we got home and found the NIP and contacted the police to ask what was going on, they said a member of the public had given them info including a partial number plate and car colour, about some one driving erractically, in Glasgow city centre.

Needless to say once they saw our holiday booking forms etc, they withdrew the NIP and no further action was taken.

But does go to show, that they don't have to have, hard and fast evidence to issue NIP's.

Guru · 15 Mar 2007 at 20:43

Entai said:
Yes apparently some constabularies do!!

My wife recieved an NIP for driving without due care in Glasgow, at the same date and time we were both in Mexico on holiday.

When we got home and found the NIP and contacted the police to ask what was going on, they said a member of the public had given them info including a partial number plate and car colour, about some one driving erractically, in Glasgow city centre.

Needless to say once they saw our holiday booking forms etc, they withdrew the NIP and no further action was taken.

But does go to show, that they don't have to have, hard and fast evidence to issue NIP's.

That's absolutely crazy!!

You basically mean to say that I could phone the police right now and tell them that I saw a Ford Focus driving dangerously and give them my mums reg and car colour and they would actually try and give her a motoring conviction! Thats absolutely disgusting!!!

:mad:

/edit just re-read your bit "partial"!!!!!!!!! beggars belief :mad:

*Moangroan* · 15 Mar 2007 at 20:48

I can't remember which forum I read it, but this happened to someone else for careless driving...an NIP that is. (member of public reported driver)

He took it to a solicitor and the solicitor asked the police for the evidence they had none and that was the end of it.

It is worrying they can produce you with a NIP based on a member of the public most of which can barely wipe their own rectum let alone make judgements as to whether someone has contraviened a road traffic act.

blueboy2001 · 15 Mar 2007 at 21:01

Your letter is far too wooly and rambling. State the facts only - where you were at the time of the incident, and ask them to disclose any evidence they have and leave it at that.

dannyjo22 · 15 Mar 2007 at 21:11

Even if a member of the public has reported you a good solicitor can discredit it, as I found out myself.

If they are paying such close attention to you, then they arent paying enough attention to their own driving. Therefore they are not a good enough driver to judge you.

Sounds madness, but thats what happened to me.

Guru · 15 Mar 2007 at 21:36

dannyjo22 said:
Even if a member of the public has reported you a good solicitor can discredit it, as I found out myself.

If they are paying such close attention to you, then they arent paying enough attention to their own driving. Therefore they are not a good enough driver to judge you.

Sounds madness, but thats what happened to me.

Able to give any more details? offence etc? Actual NIP?

dannyjo22 · 15 Mar 2007 at 21:51

Guru said:
Able to give any more details? offence etc? Actual NIP?

I dont really want to on an open forum because it involves me and usually would end up with a load of people coming with judgements. It was only a few months ago and a good friend died. So I really dont need a load of internerds telling me where I did or didn't go wrong until it's all over.

What I will say is both my insurance company and solicitor said driving witnesses are easily discredited on the grounds I stated. My charge is for CD.

Trust me I understand your worries on your liscense and the worry this causes. Best of luck to you, you sound like a nice bloke whose main concern is for his son and family rather than himself.

Again good luck

Guru · 15 Mar 2007 at 22:19

dannyjo22 said:
I dont really want to on an open forum because it involves me and usually would end up with a load of people coming with judgements. It was only a few months ago and a good friend died. So I really dont need a load of internerds telling me where I did or didn't go wrong until it's all over.

What I will say is both my insurance company and solicitor said driving witnesses are easily discredited on the grounds I stated. My charge is for CD.

Trust me I understand your worries on your liscense and the worry this causes. Best of luck to you, you sound like a nice bloke whose main concern is for his son and family rather than himself.

Again good luck

I totally understand. Sorry if I've upset you or anything.

Thanks for the well wishes mate

matt100 · 15 Mar 2007 at 22:35

blueboy2001 said:
Your letter is far too wooly and rambling. State the facts only - where you were at the time of the incident, and ask them to disclose any evidence they have and leave it at that.

I was thinking that.. if I was a copper I'd be thinking

yes

yes

yes

don't care

don't care

lost interest....

What you need to say is

I have received NIP ref x, I was physically incapable of being there because I was at the hospital with my partner and our recently born child. I can supply witnesses if required.

please can you supply me with any evidence you have s I believe your claim to be inaccurate and should you feel the need to take this to court I will defend it vigorously.

yours

blah

all that nonsense about beautiful baby blah and very concerned about blah.. whilst totally true is just waffle that will stop a duty officer getting the the point.

On a different note, a friend of mine had a rude awakening when the feds turned up to tell him they had recovered his car which they had chased and stopped full of ******, it was made more suprising because his actual car was on the drive when they turned up. What they had stopped was a clone, it happens. And more than you might think, your case fits the pattern, a clone, quite close to home (they have to see your car to clone it) being driven like a tit.

What sort of car is it?

matt100 · 15 Mar 2007 at 22:37

I suppose the truth is that you're lucky you have an alibi.. someone could be doing dougnuts in the middle of the M3 in a clone of my car right now and I would only have my wife and kids (all asleep) to say it wasn't me.